Ascension’s recent bid to acquire AmSurg marks a defining moment in its shift toward outpatient care, a move leaders say is central to its future growth strategy.
The transaction, reportedly valued at $3.9 billion and expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026, will expand Ascension’s ASC footprint from 58 to more than 300 centers in 34 states
“We truly think this AmSurg partnership will be transformational for our organization,” said Amber Sims, executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer at Ascension, during a Nov. 3 panel at Becker’s CEO and CFO Roundtable in Chicago. “We recognized that we have to get ahead in the ambulatory business, because that’s where care is going. It’s where patients want to receive care, where payers want to seek care, and where providers want to provide care.”
The deal comes after a major restructuring for the St. Louis-based health system, which has reduced its hospital portfolio from about 140 facilities three years ago to 91. Most recently, Birmingham, Ala.-based UAB Health agreed to acquire Ascension St. Vincent’s five-hospital system on June 25.
For AmSurg, joining Ascension means doubling down on its partnerships with physicians.
“While the journey is never finished, I am confident we have significantly strengthened our capabilities,” AmSurg CEO Jeff Snodgrass told Becker’s. “The Ascension acquisition provides an opportunity to continue building on this work. Our operating and partnership model has always been built on what we term the ‘collaborative model’ — the acquisition will not change that.”
Mr. Snodgrass added that the deal reinforces AmSurg’s focus on its core competency, which is service.
“As I think about a future AmSurg as part of Ascension, I believe we have an opportunity to build on our unique strengths while ensuring we thrive in a competitive landscape,” he said.
Ms. Sims said Ascension’s strategy now has two focal points: strengthening its acute care footprint and investing heavily in ambulatory services.
“We thought AmSurg was the best platform for us to scale — [we’re] both culturally aligned and equipped to expand across the U.S.,” she said. “We believe AmSurg provides us a foundational play to really accelerate the future of healthcare.”
Ascension views the partnership as a key lever to meet rising demand for outpatient care. Patients increasingly prefer ambulatory settings, payers see cost advantages and providers value their efficiency.
The system is also tying hospital CEO goals to ASC performance to align incentives, according to Ms. Sims.
Benjamin Stein, MD, chairman and CEO of Capital Surgical Solutions, told Becker’s Ascension’s health system infrastructure gives it a long-term edge.
“Health systems such as Ascension are uniquely positioned to activate key downstream levers that maintain physician engagement,” he said. “They bring integrated payer relationships, managed care contracts and value-based infrastructure — all crucial for ASC scalability.”
